Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly

This week I?m going to be throwing out my Rankings for the Mid-Year for AAA, CMLL, INDIES, as well as International Luchadores! I?ll be doing the same thing at the end of the year along with Year End Awards as well!

Infierno en el Ring HistoryCMLL has held annual (actually two this year) Infierno en el Ring Matches since 2000 with 2002 and 2003 being the only years without one. The first match took place on August 4, 2000 with Perro Aguayo Sr., Pierroth, Mascara Ano 2000, and Villano III in a Four Way Hair vs. Hair Cage Match. The final two were Ano 2000 & Villano III with Ano escaping the cage forcing Villano to be shaved. In 2001 the Match was held on September 28th at CMLL’s Anniversary Show and was much bigger than the previous years as this time both masks and hair were on the line as well as the rights to the Infernales name. Ultimo Guerrero & Rey Bucanero were a part of Satanico’s Infernales group but left and started their own with Tarzan Boy which caused Satanico to recruit Mephisto & Averno as his new proteges but both teams claimed the Infernales name. Mascara Magica joined Guerrero’s Infernales and was added to the cage giving them the man advantage but in the end Satanico got his revenge when only he and Magica were left remaining in the cage with Satanico escaping and gaining the full rights to the name as well as unmasking Magic. CMLL went 2 years without holding another Infierno Match but it returned on June 18, 2004 when CMLL booked a 6-Way Hair vs. Hair Cage Match pitting Vampiro vs. Negro Casas vs. Pierroth vs. Tarzan Boy vs. Shocker vs. Perro Aguayo Jr. inside the cage. Perro betrayed his friend Negro Casas during the match and escaped the cage leaving Negro alone to lose his hair in the cage. Almost exactly one year later (June 17, 2005) CMLL billed this years Infierno Match as an all rudo Hair vs. Hair Cage Match with the Perro Aguayo Jr., Universo 2000, Halloween, Negro Casas, Heavy Metal, Hector Garza, Damian666, & Mascara Magica all going at it, but Mistico was added right before the show to make it a Mask vs. Hair Cage Match with him being the lone tecnico in the match. Magica was once again the last left in the cage and lost his hair this time. In 2006 CMLL changed the rules up by making the final two wrestlers left in the ring settle the match with a onefall one-on-one match with pinfall or submission the only way of winning. On July 14, 2006 the first all Mask Infierno Cage Match was hell with Neutron, Nitro, Mascara Purpura, Felino, Volador Jr., Sangre Azteca, Averno, Mephisto, La Mascara, Sagrada, Misterioso II, & Pantera going at it in the biggest (number wise) Cage Match yet. Misterioso pinned Pantera and took the former WWF stars mask. In 2007 CMLL once again used the Infierno as the Main Event for the big Anniversary Show (this was my favorite of all the Infierno matches) that pitting some of the top luchadores (masked & unmasked) in CMLL: Villano V, Atlantis, Dr. Wagner Jr., Ultimo Guerrero, Mistico, Perro Aguayo Jr., Blue Panther, & Lizmark Jr. all appeared. The final two came down to the legendary Blue Panther & Lizmark Jr. with Panther forcing Lizmark to submit to his Fujiwara Armbar taking his mask. In 2008 the Infierno Match was billed as a Perros del Mal (Damian666, El Terrible, Mr. Aguila, Perro Aguayo Jr., & Texano Jr.) vs. CMLL (Alex Koslov, Marco Corleone, Shocker, Negro Casas, & Heavy Metal) coming down to Texano Jr. and Heavy Metal as the final two with the young Texano Jr. getting the pin on the veteran Heavy Metal and taking his hair. Earlier this year on January 11th CMLL held the very first Minis Mask vs. Mask Infierno Match pitting 12 masked lucha minis inside the evil cage. Cosmico, Electrico, Fantasy, Pequeno Ninja, Tzuki, Pequeno Olimpico, Pequeno Universo 2000, Pequeno Warrior, Ultimo Dragoncito, Mascarita Dorada, Pierrothito, & Shockercito put on an exciting affiar that came down to Pierrothito & Shockercito with Pierrothito getting the pin and unmasking Shockercito to the world. This weekends big Hair vs. Hair Cage Match will mark the first time that CMLL has held two Infierno en el Ring’s in one year!

Mistico Gets Huge Title Shot In Japan, No Negro CasasNew Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) announced the lineups for the big G1 Climax Tour coming up in August and it revealed some huge news for CMLL superstar, Mistico. His first match on the tour will be when he teams with IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion: Tiger Mask IV to take on the team of Tomohiro Ishii and fellow CMLL star: Shigeo Okumura (who is apparently the only CMLL star coming with Mistico). Then, the following night on 08/15 Mistico will get a shot at the historic IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship when he faces Champion Tiger Mask IV for the belt! That is most definitely a big deal. Mistico has the opportunity to become only the second Mexican luchadore to win the belt (the first being Juventud Guerrera, Rocky Romero also won the belt as Black Tiger IV but he is of Puerto Rican descent). Here is the promo pic for the big matchup (courtesy Super Luchas):

AAA Possibly Doing Reality Show to Search for New Luchadora At a press conference today (primarily for AAA’s upcoming movie) Konnan talked about a plan that AAA has for a reality show for them to find a new luchadora. He says that they want it to be an actual TV show (much like American Idol or Tough Enough). He says they are looking for women trained in judo, karate, boxing, or fitness competitions and the women would be trained by the Apaches with he, Latin Lover, & Gloria Trevi acting as the judges for the show. No word on what station the show would air on, when they plan on airing, when they plan on taping it, or even where applicants can send their info to. This is at least a good idea for AAA to get some fresh new luchadora faces in there.

One of La Parkita/Espectrito II Killers ArrestedOne of the women who is accused of murdering Lucha Libre Minis La Parkita & Espectrito II has been caught and arrested. The woman’s name is Estela “El Tia” Gonzalez (65) of Mexico City. The woman was caught because she was using one of the mini stars cell phones and the police traced. Yeah, she was a genius. They are still working on getting the other woman.

CHIKARA Announces First Young Lions Cup Matchups, MoreThis week CHIKARA the first Young Lions Cup Matchups for this years Lions Cup VII as well as the participants for each night.The first match announced is between Sea Donsters teammates Hydra and Tim Donst on night one. The other wrestlers announced to be participated on Night 1 were Create-A-Wrestler, Prince Mustafa Ali, Lince Dorado, Jason Hades, Colin Delaney, BMT, El Leonino, Frightmare, Stinky The Homeless Guy (yes, I’m serious), & Grizzly Redwood. Also Fire Ant & Soldier Ant vs. Jagged & Shane Mathews in a Non-Tournament Match has been anounced for Night 1. The first YLC Matchups for Night 2 have been announced as well and they are Soldier Ant vs. Carpenter Ant in a battle between Colony members and the second match is Darin Corbin vs. Ryan Cruz and a non-title Lucha Libre Showcase pitting Mascarita Dorada & Turbo against Pierrothito & Skayde. The other YLC participants announced for Night 2 are Yellow Dog, Cloudy, Player Uno, Player Dos, Trik Davis, Shane Hollister, Chimaera, & Bret Race. Night 3 will see several big non-tournament matches as well as the YLC Finals. The Golden Dream Triple Threat Trios Match (which I reported on a few weeks ago) has been updated with two teams completely filled now. Vin Gerard has chosen STIGMA & Chuck Taylor as his teammates while Equinox has chosen Helios & Jigsaw for his team. Fire Ant has chosen Hallowicked and still has another teammate to choose before the match is finalized. Mascarita Dorada vs. Pierrothito in a Lucha Minis Showdown, Eddie Kingston vs. Claudio Castagnoli, and a big 4 Corners Elimination Tag Team Match with several of the eliminated wrestlers from Night 1 & 2 making up the teams.

L.A. Park Speaks on X-LAW, Possible Match vs. SandmanIn L.A. Park’s recent interview with Super Luchas Magazine Park talked about his revival of the X-LAW (Xtreme Latin American Wrestling) and it’s return show on August 8th. Park said that he wasn’t going to be bringing in tired extreme stuff done now on the INDY scene with light bulbs and things like that but will bring a more old school type of ECW-feel to it. He says he wants to bring in stars from the United States and Japan as well to compete and says that his opponent when he defends the X-LAW Heavyweight Title could possibly be former ECW Champion, The Sandman, for the August 8th show!

Super X-GPCW InfoI know I have said a 100 times that I still hadn’t figured out what GPCW stood for, but this week while I was browsing their official myspace page (myspace.com/luchasuperx) I saw their official debut and it spells it out for me. Grand Prix Championship Wrestling, so simple! I don’t know if I haven’t seen the logo before or if I just completely missed it, but anyway there you go! Super X-Grand Prix Championship Wrestling!

DGUSA Brings In ROH AnnouncerThis week DGUSA revealed that Ring of Honor commentator, Lenny Leonard, would be part of the DGUSA announce team and would be there live in attendance for the debut show (they will be doing commentary live for the PPV & DVD). Not sure who will be on the announce team with him or if this affects his standing with Ring of Honor (last I heard he was still doing commentary for ROH DVDs).

Dos Caras Jr. & Sicodelico Jr. Make Their Debut as a Team in FCWThis past weekend Dos (formerly Dos Caras Jr. of CMLL) and El Sicodelico (formerly Sicodelico Jr.) made their debut as a tag team in WWE’s developmental league, FCW in a Tag Match against Vance Archer (formerly Lance Hoyt in TNA) and Hertzog Kristof in Punta Gorda, Florida. Dos & Sicodelico got the pin and they are, of course, real life cousins, but this was the first time they teamed in their careers to my knowledge.

DGUSA Announces Huge Final CHIKARA Participant For DebutLate last week DGUSA and CHIKARA announced the final participant in the 8-Man CHIKARA Tag Team Match for the DGUSA’s debut, “Open The Historic Gate” Show, and it’s a big one. The final tecnico joining Jigsaw, Fire Ant, & Soldier Ant will be none other than the current NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Champion: Mike Quackenbush! Quackenbush is considered by many to be one of the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in the world today! Quackenbush has been out for the past few months with an injury but will make his return at this historic show! Also, CHIKARA’s Lince Dorado has been added to The Fray! The final card (except for The Fray participants) is below.

Super Crazy’s Matches Set for Junior LeaugeAll Japan has set the matches for this years Junior League starting on the 26th and ending on August 7th. The following are Super Crazy’s matches:– 07/26: Super Crazy vs. Nosawa– 07/28: Super Crazy vs. Toshizo– 08/02: Super Crazy vs. Kaz Hayashi– 08/05: Super Crazy vs. KAIOn 08/07 Block A’s #1 will face the Block B #2 and Block B #1 will face Block A #2 with the winner of each match facing off in the Finals later in the night.